ceived when it was impelled forward by the Divine hand, upon its first formation. This has been called impulsion, and operates to drive them ftraight forward, fo that being acted upon by this twofold force, the planets are faid to follow a track between both; and are 'preferved by the attraction of the fun from going ftraight forward, and by their own repulfive power, from falling into the center.

Whether this account be the true one, or not, does not much concern us. We may, however, devoutly adore the wifdom and power of God in the heavens; and feeing the fun, moon and stars in their order, may juftly afcribe their formation and direction to Divine energy.

Not only do the primary orbs before-mentioned perform their revolutions round the fun, but the fecondary ones, which we call moons, or fatellites, which attend on some of the first-rate planets, do the fame. They alfo perform their refpective revolutions round the planets which they accompany.

There are also other heavenly bodies which do not peculiarly belong to our fyftem, but frequently come into it from fome immensely diftant regions: thefe are comets, whofe appearance was once very terrible to mankind. The theory of them is, even at prefent, but little understood. Their number feems greater than that of the planets, but whether they roll in their orbits, in a regular manner, or are obcdient to folar influence, is not fo clear. Aftro

nomers have attempted to calculate the returning periods of many of them; but experience has not, as yet, confirmed the veracity of their investigations.

There are multitudes of other bodies difperfed over the face of the heavens, many of them are too remote for our obfervation with the naked eye. Those who examine them by glaffes tell us, that these have no motion like the planets, they are therefore called fixed ftars; and from their great brilliancy and extreme distance, they have been supposed to be funs, refembling that which enlivens our fyftem. As the imagination once excited, is feldom content to ftop, it has furnished each with an attendant system of planets belonging to itself, and even induced fome philofophers to deplore the fate of thofe fyftems, whofe imagined funs, which fometimes happens, have become no longer visible.

But conjectures of this kind, which no reasoning can ascertain, nor experiment reach, are rather amufing than useful. Though we fee the greatnefs and wisdom of the Deity in all the feeming worlds which furround us, yet it is our chief concern to trace him in that which we inhabit.

The examination of the earth, the wonders of its contrivance, the hiftory of its advantages, or of the seeming defects in its formation, more properly come under the idea of Natural Hiftory. We fhall therefore in our future Numbers go on to give a defcription of the Earth, with its animals, vegetables and minerals, if God permit,

DR.

DR. FRANKLIN'S THOUGHTS OF DEATH,

In a Letter to Mifs Hubbard, on the death of his brother John Franklin, of Bofton, who was Father-in-Law to that Lady.

DEAR CHILD,

CONDOLE with you; we have loft a most dear and valuable relation; but it is the will of God and nature that these bodies be laid afide, when the foul is to enter into real life. This is rather an embrio ftate, a preparation for living, a man is not compleatly born until he be dead. Why then should we grieve that a new child is born among the immortals, a new member added to their happy fociety. We are fpirits. That bodies should be lent us, while they can afford us pleasure, affift us in acquiring knowledge, or doing good to our fellow creatures, is a kind and benevolent act of God. When they become unfit for these purposes, and afford us pain inftead of pleasure, inftead of an aid, they become an incumbrance, and anfwer none of the intentions for which they were given; it is equally kind and benevolent that a way is provided by which we may get rid of them. Death is that way. We ourselves chufe a partial death. In fome cafes, a mangled, painful limb, which cannot be restored, we willingly cut off. He who plucks out a tooth, parts with it freely, fince the pain goes with it; and he that quits the whole body, parts at once with all the pains, and poffibilities of pains

pains and difeafes it was liable to, or capable of making him fuffer. Our friend and we are invited abroad

on a party of pleasure that is to laft for ever.His carriage was firft ready, and he is gone before us: we could not all conveniently start together; and why should you and I be grieved at this, fince we are foon to follow and know where to find him? Adieu

B. F.

POETRY.

REFUGE IN ADVERSITY.

DOUBT

An original Hymn.

I.

OUBT and diftrefs o'erwhelm my foul,
To thee my God I fly;

In mercy all my fears controul,

And bring deliverance nigh;

In thee alone I would abide,
And feel thy love by faith apply'd.

IV.

My inmoft thoughts to thee are known,

My fecret heart unveil'd;

Never from thine all piercing eye,

Am I the leaft concealed;

Pardon I crave, and purity,

A heart, a mind, in all like thee.

V.

Within thine arms I'd filent lay,
And fuffer all thy will,

Thy law impartially obey,

And thy commands fulfil;
Now let thy fpirit touch my heart,
And all my powers to thee convert.

VI.

Thou know'ft my trials here below,
I lay them at thy feet,

May I through them more holy grow,
And for thy kingdom meet;

I'll praise thee then, above the skies,
For forms that taught my foul to rise.

MY

NABOTH

Y vineyard flourish'd by my toil and care,
I hop'd as my reward, the fruits to fhare;

Says Jezebel, That vineyard must be mine.'
Naboth was flain: another drank his wine.

A TABLE HYMN.

I.

OT from the earth our bleffings spring,

NOT

Nor drop from out the air;

But from thy power, Immortal King,
And thy parternal care.

T.

B. T.

II. Eternal